The overall objectives of the project are to develop protocols for the total synthesis of the Gascardane (eg. Gascardiac Acid (I) ) and Ophiobolin (eg. Ophiobolin F(II) ) classes of Sesterterpenes. The goals for the year are to complete the skeleton construction in Gascardic acid having a key intermediate in hand, and to develop further the efforts toward construction of substances which are suitable for ring enlargement of the ophiobolin ring system, and to investigate and clarify the stereochemical aspects of these processes.